2025-03-31-accounts - Leadership 2025

This text was generated using OCR and may contain errors. Check the original PDF to see the document submitted to the regulator.

Trustees’ Annual Report for the period

From 01/04/2024 (Period start date) To 31/03/2025 (Period end date)

Charity name: Leadership 2025

Charity registration number: 1191851

Objectives and Activities


	SORP reference
Summary of the purposes of the charity as set out in its governing document	Para 1.17	To promote the elimination of discrimination on the grounds of race and the encouragement of equality of opportunity between people of different racial groups within the community, particularly in the area of employment and training by: 1) conducting or commissioning research on equality and diversity issues and publishing the results to the public. 2) raising awareness of and providing training to address barriers to equality of opportunity in professional development in the workplace.


Summary of the main activities in relation to those purposes for the public benefit, in particular, the activities, projects or services identified in the accounts.	Para 1.17 and 1.19	Our main aims and objectives, for the public benefit, are: ● To drive an essential and fundamental transformation and cultural competence. ● To support, develop and promote the talent of ethnic minority leaders. The cultural change thread aims to achieve a sector-wide mindset change in housing so that the sector understands and accepts the business and ethical case for a leadership which is more ethnically diverse and inclusive, but also why this is key in reflecting and supporting communities. Leadership 2025 provides constructive challenge to the sector, raising awareness and providing support and tools for organisations to implement change. In supporting talent, we aim to support leaders from ethnic minority backgrounds in navigating the barriers and organisational cultures which prohibit equity of opportunity. This is done through our flagship leadership programme and by providing them with the networks, tools and platforms they need to best support, develop and promote their talent to become sector leaders. The programme will go through a redesign and tender process in coming months. We also support talent through sharing opportunities with alumni and championing their successes and careers across our platforms and networks. In increasing the ethnic diversity of its leadership, the sector will be more inclusive and supportive for staff teams and for residents. This is fundamental in dismantling structural inequality and improving outcomes for marginalised communities.

Statement confirming whether the trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit
	Para 1.18	The main objective of the charity is to promote equality and diversity, achieving this through providing educational opportunities and promoting activities to foster understanding between people from diverse backgrounds. The trustees have had regard to the guidance issued by the Charity Commission on public benefit.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:


	SORP reference
Policy on grant making	Para 1.38	N/A
Policy on social investment including program related investment	Para 1.38	N/A
Contribution made by volunteers	Para 1.38	N/A
Other		N/A

Achievements and Performance


	SORP reference
Summary of the main achievements of the charity, identifying the difference the charity’s work has made to the circumstances of its beneficiaries and any wider benefits to society as a whole.	Para 1.20	During the year, Leadership 2025 delivered several significant achievements that supported ethnically diverse housing leaders and contributed to wider sector understanding of inequality. The charity completed a major qualitative research project with the London School of Economics, exploring the lived experiences of ethnically diverse leaders in housing and producing practical recommendations for the sector. A knowledge-exchange event was held in January for funders and stakeholders, providing an opportunity to share findings and strengthen sector engagement with the research. Leadership 2025 also delivered a well-attended Winter Conference in December, which offered learning, networking and collaboration opportunities for participants and helped maintain visibility of diversity and leadership issues across the sector. Regular quarterly updates were issued to supporters, sharing impact, good practice and sector insights, which helped maintain relationships and keep beneficiaries connected to opportunities and developments. The recruitment of a new Chair and the appointment of an Interim Director ensured continuity during the Director's maternity leave, maintaining organisational stability and enabling ongoing support for alumni and stakeholders.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:


Achievements against objectives set	Para 1.41	The charity made progress against its organisational objectives in several key areas: • Research and evidence-building:Completed the LSE qualitative research project, including literature review, interviews and organisational insights, to inform future programme design and sector interventions. • Programme development:Progressed tendering for the next iteration of the Leadership 2025 programme, reviewed proposals from business schools, and engaged alumni to support future co-production • Sector leadership and influence:The Director contributed to an_Inside Housing_publication outlining three strategies to increase senior-level Black and minority ethnic representation (Aug 2024), strengthening the charity’s voice in sector-wide discussions. • Awareness and culture change:The charity marked Black History Month (Oct 2024) with public engagement and sector communications highlighting the ethical and business case for more inclusive leadership. • Events and engagement:Delivered the Winter Conference, attended national events, and maintained strong relationships with NHF, HDN, Inside Housing and Ocean Media, ensuring the charity remained visible in key sector forums • Stakeholder communication:Issued quarterly organisational updates and maintained regular communication with funders and supporters to demonstrate impact and value for money. • Governance:Strengthened leadership through the appointment of a new Chair and ongoing trustee engagement, including plans for a skills audit and additional training.


Performance of fundraising activities against objectives set	Para 1.41	Fundraising continued to rely on annual sponsorship from housing associations and corporate partners, totalling £70,000 for the year. All sponsors were contacted and existing relationships were maintained through updates and event engagement. Despite significant effort, fundraising remained challenging, with limited responses to new outreach. A renewed approach, strengthening trustee involvement and focusing on deeper partnerships, was identified as necessary for the next funding cycle.
Investment performance against objectives	Para 1.41	N/A
Other		N/A

Financial Review

inancial Review

Review of the charity’s financial position at the end of the period	Para 1.21	Leadership 2025’s finances were overseen with support from Altair, who provided management accounts and banking administration. Income for the year continued to rely on annual sponsorship, totalling £70,000, with most payments received between September and December. Budget tracking showed that the organisation’s ability to meet future costs is dependent on the timely renewal of sponsorship income, and projections highlighted sensitivity to any delays or shortfalls in fundraising.
Statement explaining the policy for holding reserves stating why they are held	Para 1.22	Reserves are held for the charity to continue implementing its action plan over the coming year.
Amount of reserves held	Para 1.22	£51,703
Reasons for holding zero reserves	Para 1.22	N/A
Details of fund materially in deficit	Para 1.24	N/A
Explanation of any uncertainties about the charity continuing as a going concern	Para 1.23	There are uncertainties linked to the charity’s reliance on annual sponsorship, ongoing fundraising challenges, and the need to renew or secure new funders each year. Budget modelling indicates that cash reserves are vulnerable if sponsorship is delayed or does not materialise. These financial pressures create uncertainty around future sustainability, though trustees and the Interim Director continue to pursue sponsorship and engage stakeholders to mitigate this risk.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:


The charity’s principal sources of funds (including any fundraising)	Para 1.47	Funding from Housing Associations and other organisations operating in the social housing sector
Investment policy and objectives including any social investment policy adopted	Para 1.46	N/A
A description of the principal risks facing the charity	Para 1.46	N/A
Other		N/A

Structure, Governance and Management


Description of charity’s trusts:
Type of governing document (trust deed, royal charter)	Para 1.25	Constitution
How is the charity constituted? (e.g. unincorporated association, CIO)	Para 1.25	CIO

Trustee selection methods including details of any constitutional provisions e.g. election to post or name of any person or body entitled to appoint one or more trustees
	Para 1.25	The constitution states: ● A maximum of 12 trustees. ● In selecting individuals for appointment as charity trustees, the charity trustees must have regard to the skills, knowledge and experience needed for the effective administration of the CIO. Applicants are asked to submit their CV and cover letter, followed by an interview which explores their motivations in more detail and what they can contribute to the charity. The recruitment process is robust to ensure that the right people are selected to sit on the Trustees’ Board.

Additional information (optional)

You may choose to include further statements where relevant about:


Policies and procedures adopted for the induction and training of trustees	Para 1.51	The charity trustees will make available to each new charity trustee, on or before his or her first appointment: ● a copy of the current version of the constitution; and ● a copy of the CIO’s latest annual report, annual accounts and Terms of Reference. ● New trustees are also provided an induction by the Chair prior to the first Board meeting.
The charity’s organisational structure and any wider network with which the charity works	Para 1.51	The charity is run by the Trustees, led by the Chair.
Relationship with any related parties	Para 1.51	N/A

Other N/A

Reference and Administrative details


Charity name	Leadership 2025
Other name the charity uses	N/A
Registered charity number	1191851
Charity’s principal address	4th Floor Silverstream House 45 Fitzroy Street, Fitzrovia London W1T 6EB

Names of the charity trustees who manage the charity


	Trustee name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year	Name of person (or body) entitled to appoint trustee (if any)
1	Tolulope Oke	Chair	Whole period	N/A
2	Gina Amoh	Trustee	Whole period	N/A
3	Elyse Hodges	Trustee	Whole period	N/A
4	Sandra Skeete	Trustee	Whole period	N/A
5	Sandy Sohal	Trustee	30/11/2024	N/A
6	Jitinder Takhar	Trustee	Whole period	N/A
7	Nathan Warren	Trustee	Whole period	N/A
8	Mark Washer	Trustee	Whole period	N/A

9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

Corporate trustees – names of the directors at the date the report was approved


Director name	Office (if any)	Dates acted if not for whole year

Name of trustees holding title to property belonging to the charity


Trustee name	Dates acted if not for whole year
N/A

Funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others


Description of the assets held in this capacity	The charity has no funds held as custodian trustees on behalf of others
Name and objects of the charity on whose behalf the assets are held and how this falls within the custodian charity’s objects	N/A
Details of arrangements for safe custody and segregation of such assets from the charity’s own assets	N/A

Additional information (optional)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)	Names and addresses of advisers (Optional information)

Type of adviser	Name	Address




Name of chief executive or names of senior staff members (Optional information)

Exemptions from disclosure

Reason for non-disclosure of key personnel details N/A

Other optional information

N/A

Declarations

The trustees declare that they have approved the trustees’ report above. Signed on behalf of the charity’s trustees Signature(s) Full name(s) Tolulope Oke Position (e.g. Secretary, Chair Chair, etc) Date 27/01/2026

	Leadership 2025 Charity Name	Leadership 2025 Charity Name	Leadership 2025 Charity Name	Leadership 2025 Charity Name	CC16a
	For the period from	01/04/2024 Period start date	To	31/03/2025 Period end date

Section A Receipts and payments
A1 Receipts	Unrestricted funds to the nearest £ 70,000 - - - - - - - 70,000 - - - 70,000 13,680 56,026 1,087 352 - - - - - 71,146 - - - 71,146 - 1,146 - 52,849 51,703	Restricted funds to the nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -	Endowment funds to the nearest £	Total funds to the nearest £ 70,000 - - - - - - - 70,000 - - - 70,000 13,680 56,026 1,087 352 - - - - - 71,146 - - - 71,146 - 1,146	Last year to the nearest £
Income from HousingAssociations	70,000		- - - - - - - - -	70,000	-
	-			-
	-			-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
~~*Sub total~~~~(Gross income for~~ AR)*	70,000			70,000	-

A2 Asset and investment sales, (see table).
	-		- - -	-
	-			-	-
*Sub total*	-			-	-
*Total receipts* A3 Payments
			-	70,000	-

Consultancy and project management fees	13,680		- - - - - - - - - -	13,680	11,000
Director costs	56,026			56,026	15,285
Insurance and IT	1,087			1,087	866
SundryExpenses	352			352	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
	-			-	-
**Sub total **	71,146			71,146	27,151

A4 Asset and investment purchases, (see table)
	-		- - -	-
	-			-
**Sub total **	-			-	-
*Total payments* *Net of receipts/(payments)* A5 Transfers between funds A6 Cash funds last year end *Cash funds this year end*
			-	71,146	27,151

	- 1,146	-	-	- 1,146	- 27,151
	-	-	- -	-	-
	52,849	-		52,849	80,000
	51,703	-	-	51,703	52,849

CCXX R1 accounts (SS)

27/01/2026

Section B Statement of assets and liabilities at the end of the period

Categories Signed by one or two trustees on behalf of all the trustees B1 Cash funds B2 Other monetary assets B4 Assets retained for the charity’s own use B5 Liabilities B3 Investment assets	Signature N/A Details Details N/A Cash at bank Details Details *Total cash funds* (agree balances with receipts and payments account(s)) N/A Details N/A	Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ 51,703 - - - - - 51,703 - OK OK Unrestricted funds Restricted funds to nearest £ to nearest £ - - - - - - - - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - Fund to which asset belongs Cost (optional) - - - - - - - - - Fund to which liability relates Amount due (optional) - - - - - Print Name Tolulope Oke	Endowment funds to nearest £

			-
			-
			-
			OK
			Endowment funds to nearest £
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			Current value (optional)
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			-
			When due (optional)






			Date of approval
		Tolulope Oke	27/01/2026

CCXX R2 accounts (SS)

27/01/2026

Independent examiner's report on the accounts

Section A Independent Examiner’s Report

Report to the trustees Charity Name Leadership 2025 On accounts for the year 31/03/2025 Charity no 1191851 ended (if any) Set out on pages Sections A and B of the Receipt and Payments Accounts I report to the trustees on my examination of the accounts of the above charity (“the Trust”) for the year ended 31/03/2024. Responsibilities and As the charity's trustees, you are responsible for the preparation of the basis of report accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Charities Act 2011 (“the Act”).

I report in respect of my examination of the Trust’s accounts carried out under section 145 of the 2011 Act and in carrying out my examination, I have followed all the applicable Directions given by the Charity Commission under section 145(5)(b) of the Act.

Independent I have completed my examination. I confirm that no material matters have examiner's statement come to my attention in connection with the examination gives me cause to believe that in, any material respect:

the accounting records were not kept in accordance with section 130 of the Charities Act; or
the accounts did not accord with the accounting records; or
the accounts did not comply with the applicable requirements concerning the form and content of accounts set out in the Charities (Accounts and Reports) Regulations 2008 other than any requirement that the accounts give a ‘true and fair’ view which is not a matter considered as part of an independent examination.

I have no concerns and have come across no other matters in connection with the examination to which attention should be drawn in this report in order to enable a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached.

Date: 26/01/2026

Signed: Name: Derek Joseph Relevant professional Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Governance, Holder of B. Com (Accy) qualification(s) or body from Leeds University and an approved person by the FCA (if any):

Oct 2018

IER

Address: Flat 8, Tempus Wharf, 29 Bermondsey Wall West, London, SE16 4RW

Section B Disclosure

Only complete if the examiner needs to highlight material matters of concern (see CC32, Independent examination of charity accounts: directions and guidance for examiners).

Give here brief details of any items that the examiner wishes to disclose .

Oct 2018

IER